‘Malaria will be eradicated by 2020’

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 16

The Additional Chief Secretary, Health, RD Dhiman, while presiding over a meeting of the Coordination Committee on Malaria, here on Wednesday said the state government would eradicate malaria from the state by 2020.

He said malaria prevalence was less in Himachal as compared to other states and at present, there were only 98 cases of malaria in the state. Malaria mosquitoes are seen between June and September in districts like Hamirpur, Una, Solan, Kangra, Bilaspur and Mandi.

He said the state fell under category-I where less and one case per thousand population was at risk, he added.

Dhiman said health education should be given in educational institutions, Anganwadi centres and PRIs about the disease.

Sanitation measures should be ensured in slum areas, industries and factories etc. besides imparting training to Anganwadi and Asha workers about preliminary diagnosis of malaria, he added.

Deputy Director-cum-SPO Dr Prakash Daroch said the state had made malaria modifiable disease in March 2018 and it was mandatory for all public health institutions, including private sector health institutions, to list each positive malaria case.

While speaking on prevention and control measures, he said draining stagnant water in the cities and villages, pots of water used by animals to drink water should be covered. Fogging of the area where density of mosquitoes was high should be ensured besides taking measures to remove the stagnated water.